Daniel Scott Staley

Daniel Scott Staley passed away on September 30, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah after a prolonged battle with addiction. Daniel was born September 6, 1972 in Anaheim, California to Marilyn and Larry Staley. While Daniel was still young, the Staley family relocated from southern California to Burrville, Utah. By his side during his formative years was his dog Pip and his six brothers and one sister, Roxanne. Daniel spent his childhood and teenage years honing his hunting, trapping, fishing, and mountain man skills in Fish Lake National Forest in central Utah.  The outdoors remained his solemn place until his life’s end. Whether it was ripping fresh powder at his favorite ski resort Powder Mountain with his brother Zack, fishing the Ogden or Weber rivers with his brother Brad, hunting game with his brother Larry in the Uintas, hitting the latest art, food or cultural festival with his brother Luke, or barbecuing the best cuts of meat with his brother Matt  – he loved spending time and experiences with his siblings and family.

Daniel loved learning and was a voracious reader. Daniel never shied away from a healthy friendly debate on the merits of Sasquatch, UFOs, and common conspiracy theories, of which he was well read. Of particular interest was his love of the art & science of nutrition. He loved to make Ormus, a mineral supplement that he was a proponent of. Daniel was a renegade of sorts, always marching to the beat of his own drummer - never one to adhere to the status quo. Daniel often romanticized the life of a vagabond and was content living life free from societal rules, norms, or expectations. He would often appear, unannounced, on his brother’s porches with a 12 pack of Pabst beer in anticipation of a good time. More often than not, no matter how inconvenient these drop-ins were, by the last beer, smiles, laughs, and good memories were made.

Daniel was the father to Zoe Jin, who he loved with all of his heart. Although Dan’s struggles with addiction impeded his ability to maintain a consistent presence in Zoe’s life, Dan would always speak of better days to come. Unfortunately for Dan, his addiction battles would rob his faculties and ability to make that dream a reality – a dream he held near to his heart until his final days on this earth.

Daniel, thank you for being such a wonderful part of our family. The best memories we have as a family entail eating, drinking, laughing, and telling jokes – of which you were such a big part of. Your tender heart, quick wit, and sense of humor will be greatly missed. It is with great sorrow that we say goodbye to you in your physical form. It is with an equal measure of peace & solace that we know your struggles with addiction, self-doubts, concerns, and pain have ended. We’ll love you forever and remember all of the beautiful moments that we shared. Until we meet again, fly like an eagle.

Daniel was preceded in death by his grandparents as well as his brother Mark Steven Staley. A family memorial service was held on December 15, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. Daniel’s remains will be dispersed in the Fish Lake National Forest in central Utah in a private ceremony in May 2020.